Only Andalusia, the Valencian Community, and Catalonia account for half of the tourist accommodations.

Three autonomous communities concentrate most of Spain’s tourist housing

Andalusia, the Valencian Community, and Catalonia account for more than half of all tourist housing currently in Spain, totaling 216,217 properties. Málaga stands out as the leading province nationwide, with nearly 50,000 homes dedicated to tourist rentals.

If the Balearic and Canary Islands are added, the total rises to almost 80% of the national stock, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) as of May.

Across Spain, there are 381,837 homes dedicated to tourism, an increase of 5,374 compared to November’s figures. The all-time high since records began was reached in August 2024, with 403,267 tourist accommodations.

Andalusia leads with more than 96,000 homes

Andalusia tops the list with 96,176 tourist homes, a 6.4% increase, marking its highest figure ever. All provinces in the region reported growth, with Málaga leading at 48,412 homes (+6.3%), followed by Cádiz with 16,624 (+9%).

The Valencian Community ranks second with 63,190 tourist homes, although this is 2.4% fewer than the previous period. Alicante dominates with 40,273 of these properties.

In third place is Catalonia, with 56,851 tourist accommodations, a 7.5% increase. Girona leads with 22,998 homes, followed by Barcelona with 18,113.

The Canary Islands total 50,686 homes, a slight 1.1% decline, with Las Palmas (27,038) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (23,648) maintaining high numbers. The Balearic Islands reach 24,361 homes, up 0.7% from the last report.

Other regions and provinces

• Galicia: around 20,000 tourist homes, mostly in Pontevedra (8,985).

• Madrid: 18,555 homes, down 4.5%.

• Castilla y León: 8,221 (+0.3%), with León, Salamanca, and Ávila leading.

• Murcia: 7,939 (–5%).

• Cantabria: 7,698 (+2.7%).

• Asturias: 7,697 (+0.6%).

• Basque Country: 5,467 (–0.1%), with Vizcaya and Gipuzkoa standing out.

• Castilla-La Mancha: 5,224, led by Toledo (1,668).

• Aragón: 4,643, led by Huesca (2,573).

• Extremadura: 2,005, led by Cáceres (1,348).

• Navarra: 1,672.

• La Rioja: 1,360.

• Ceuta: 55 (sharp decline).

• Melilla: 41 (sharp decline).

Provincial leaders

• Málaga: 48,412

• Alicante: 40,273

• Las Palmas: 27,038

• Balearic Islands: 24,361

• Santa Cruz de Tenerife: 23,648

• Girona: 22,998

• Madrid: 18,555

• Barcelona: 18,113

• Cádiz: 16,624

• Valencia: 15,258

• Tarragona: 13,015

• Pontevedra: 8,985

• Sevilla: 8,719

New regulation for tourist and short-term rentals

The government has introduced a national unified registry for short-term rentals (tourist, temporary, and room rentals). Registration is now a mandatory requirement to advertise on digital platforms and operate legally. The goal is to combat fraud and curb the proliferation of irregular tourist housing.

This new control system arises amid the current housing access crisis and rising prices, which particularly affect young people and vulnerable groups, due to a shortage of supply against increasing demand.